Process of mining in frozen ground.



No. 042,049. Patented 1an. 23, |000.

L. E. MILLER. PBUCESS 0F MININGy IN FROZEN GRND.

(Applicatin med Aug. 7, 1599.)

(Nn Model.)

@9AM/woef 6 m0,

No. 642,049, Patented Ian. 23, |900. L. E. MILLER.

PROCESS OF MINING IN FROZEN GROUND.

(Application med Aug, 7, 189e.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

IUI

H e,sl."(// U IINTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS E. MILLER, OF DA\VSON,OANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO II-IE ELLIOT MACHINE AND MINING COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF MINING IN FROZEN GROUND.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 642,049, dated January 23, 1900.

Original application iiled May 27, 1899, Serial No. 718,549. Divided and this application filed August 7,1899. Serial N0.-

726,445. iNo model.)

To (all wtom, '/'ft rim/y concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dawson, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Mining in Frozen Ground; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of th'e invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperro tains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improvement in processes of mining in frozen ground; and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being4 had to the accom- I5 panying drawings, which illustrate twoforms of apparatus which I have contemplated using in carrying out my improved process; and my invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

2o Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a sectional view of a mining shaft and drift, showing one form of apparatus for carrying out my improved process. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale,of a steamejector shown in Eig. l. Fig. Sisaviewsimilar to Fig. l, showing a modified form of apparatus for carrying out my process; and Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional View of a steamejector nozzle shown in Fig. 3.

3o This application is adivision of my former application, Serial No. 718,54f9, led in the United States Patent Office May 27, 1899.

In certain parts of North America where mining operations are carried on, principally for gold and other precious metals, the ground is frozen to a great depth, and it is impossi ble to mine such frozen ground economically by ordinary methods.

The object of my invention is to provide a process for sinking a vertical shaft to the bedrock, above which the pay streak or strata con-V taining the precious metals are usually located, and for ruiming drifts laterally from said shaft above the bed-rock and removing the gravel and earth containing the precious metals. In carrying ont my process I form a su mp or pocket for containing a small pool of water, and I convey steam from the surface of the ground into the shaft or drift, cause it to act upon the water in the sump or pocket 5o to heat portions of the same to a considerable temperature, and force it with high speed and force against the frozen ground, thereby melting the frost therein and disintegrating the ground. The solid material is then removed by means of a bucket or other suitable conveyer and conveyed to the surface, while the water returns to the su mp. I thus establish a circulation of the water within the shaft or mine and use the same wateroverand over 6o again without removing it from the mine eX- cept when the amount of Water becomes augmented by the condensation of steam and the melting of the frost in the ground to such an extent as may require a portion of the water to be drawn off at suitable intervals to prevent the mine from becoming so full of water as to inconvenience the operators working therein. l

In the form of apparatus for carrying out 7o my process which I have illustrated in Fig. l, A represents a vertical shaft which has been sunk through the frozen ground, and A A represent the lateral drifts above the bedrock B. In Fig. l the mine is shownas having been sunk to the bed-rock and the apparatus hereinafter described is being employed in removing the pay-gravel from the drift, the material being removed by means of a bucket O and windlass C', as shown in the 8o drawings, or other suitable form of conveyor. The pool of water may be contained in asump b, blasted out of the bed-rock, as shown, or where the bed-rock is inclined a pocket lnay be formed in one of the drifts to contain water for carrying out my process, as indicated at b in Fig. l. D represents a steam-generating boiler located above the surface of the ground and provided with a steam-supply pipe d, which extends down into the mine, 9o where it is provided adjacent to its lower end with a cut-off cock d', by means of which the supply of steam can be controlled. E represents an ejector which I employ in this form of apparatus for imparting heat and motion tothe water in the pool. This ejector is shown in detail in Fig. 2. E represents the main body of the ejector, which is hollow and preferably substantially spherical in form. It is provided with two opposite threaded apertures e e and with means for admitting Water to its interior, consisting in this instance of a series of apertures e2. E' represents the steam or jet tube, which is externally threaded and is screwed into the aperture e, se that it can be adjusted longitudinally in said aperture by rotating it, and e3 is a jam-nut surrounding said steam or jet tube for securing it rigidly in its adjusted position. The tube E is provided with a longitudinal passage, which decreases in size from its outer end to a point adjacent to its inner end, (indicated at 64,) from which point the said passage widens abruptly to the inner end of the tube. E2 represents the discharge-tube of the ejector, which hasa portion extending into-the hollow body E in line with the steam or jet tube E', said portion being externally threaded and screwed into the aperture e of the hollow body, as shown. The tube Ezis provided with a longitudinalpassage, which at the inner end of the tube is of considerablyzgreater diameter than that of the jet-tube at its inner end and decreases rapidly in size to .a point indicated at e5, from which said passage increases in diameter to a point e5, adjacent to its outer end, and then widens rapidly to the outer end-of the discharge-tube,as shown. Theouter end of the discharge-tube E2 is provided exteriiallyv'ith threads, as shown at e7,'w'hich are adapted to receive a standard pipe-coupling of the proper size.

When the stream of heated water is designed to be discharged close to theejector,

I provide the discharge-tubewith a short nozzle E3, as shown in Fig. 2. This nozzle is provided with a screw coupling-ring e8, by means of which it is attached to the dischargetube E2. ,The nozzle is provided with an internal passage, the rear portion of .which is of the same diameter as the outlet of the discharge-tube E2, the outer portionof said passage being contracted, as shown at e9.

Etrepresents a supporting disk yor wheel provided wit-l1 a central aperture, which engages `the steam or jet tube E. The object of this disk is to hold the main body of the ejector above the bottom Vof the sumporpool toprevent gravel and sediment from entering the same -and also to incline the nozzleEin a downward direction, so as to cause it to eject the water against the sides of the sump when said nozzle is used. The jet-tube E is connected with the steam-pipe through the valve d by means of a pipe d2 and elbow d3. In digging a vertical shaft through frozen ground a sump or pocket is formed to contain the amount of water necessary to submerge the ejector E, which is connected `With the steam-boiler, as heretofore described, and steam is then admitted to the ejector. The steam passing in through the jet-tube E condischarge-tube E2 and nozzle E3 with greatA force against the sides of the sump or pocket, melting the ice in the frozen ground and disintegrating the soil, which is removed by shovels. By continually manipulating the ejector so as to direct the heated stream of water against different portions of the sides of the pockets and removing the soil as fast as it is loosened up the shaft can be sunk very rapidly to the bed-rock, after which the bedrock will be provided with a sump, as indicated at b, to contain the pool of water, or the water may be allowed to collect at the lowest point of the shaft or a drift thereof, as indicated at b', if the formation of the bed-rock favors such a plan. In excavating `lateral drifts the nozzle E3 will be removed from the discharge-tube E2, and a length of hose F will be attached by means of an ordinary coupling f, as indicated in Fig. l, the hose F being provided with a discharge-nozzle f to direct the current of heatedwateragainst the sides of the drift.

The jet or steam tube `E is capable of adjustment longitudinally toward and from the discharge-tube E2, as before stated, and this adjustment enables the operator to control the speed or velocity of the stream of water andalso its temperature. By adjusting the jettube closer to the discharge-tube a smaller amount of water willbe taken into the discharge-tube in proportion to the steam used, and the water will be delivered, in consequence, with greater velocity and ata higher temperature. By adjusting the steamer jet tube outwardlya greater amount of water will be vtaken in between the jet-tube and the discharge-tube,with theresult that the stream of water discharged will be at a lower temperature and delivered with less velocity.

It is yimportant that the operator should be thus enabled to regulate the temperature of the stream discharged, as I find that in using a stream at too high a temperature a mist or fog is produced in the mine, which interferes with the operators, while no fog is produced if the water is not above a certain temperature. It will be understood .that the solid material thus softened and disintegrated will be filled into buckets and elevated to the surface of theground for suitable treatment to remove the precious metal, while the water will return to the sump or pool and is used over and over again, the water giving up its heatin melting the frozen ground and returning cold to the pool. In my process the water is not taken out of the mine ordinarily. Owing to the melting of the ice in the frozen soil and the condensation of the steam it occasionally becomes necessary to remove a portion of the Water from the pool to prevent it from extending over the bottom of the mine.

IOO

IIO

This can be conveniently done by providing the discharge-pipe of the ejector' with a hose (not shown) similar to the hose F, long enough to extend to the top of the mine, and blowing out a portion of the water by means of the steam passing through the ejector, or the water may be removed at intervals in any other desired way.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modified form of apparatus for carrying out my process, which is adapted particularly for use in operating in drifts at a considerable distance from the sump or pool. In this drawing, A2 represents the vertical shaft,A3 A3 the horizon tal drifts, and B' the bed-rock, provided with a sump b or a pocket b' to contain the water. C2 represents the hoisting-bucket, and C3 the windlass. D represents the boiler, and d4 the steam-supply pipe leading down into the mine, which pipe will preferably be covered with asbestos or othernon-conducting covering, as indicated in the drawing. At the bottom of the shaft I provide a steam vacuumpump of any of the well-kuown types of these devices in which Water is drawn from a supply and forced out by the direct action of a current of steam. In the present instance I have illustrated at G a vacuum-pump which is known as the pulsometer; but I may use other forms of steam vacuum-pumps. The construction of these steam vacuum-pumps being well known, I will not particularly describe the construction of the same, merely stating that the steam is brought into contact with the Water and not only forces it out of the pump,butimparts toit a certain amount of heat from the steam. A pipe g extends from the pump G to the sump or other cavity containing the pool of water, and a hose H is connected with the pump G for delivering the stream of partially-heated water under the pressure produced by the action of the pump. The outer end of the hose H is provided with an improved ejectormozzle I. (Illustrated in detail in Fig. 4.) This nozzle comprises the main body I, one end of which is adapted to be engaged by the hose-coupling on the outer end of the hose H, and the other end is provided with a tapering discharge-tube I', the smaller end of which is provided With a smaller tapering tube I2, having a reduced discharge-aperture i. I prefer to make this nozzle I in sections in the manner shown in Fig. 4 to facilitate the construction and assembling of the parts. The interior of the main body I is provided with a steam-compartment t', provided with a steam-inlet passage z2, extending through a threaded nipple t3, projecting from the casing I. The compartment t" is provided with a threaded aperture in line with the axis of the nozzle, into which is screwed a steam or jet tube I3, which has a longitudinal passage therethrough, terminating in a reduced delivery-aperture i4 at some little distance from the discharge-aperture of the nozzle. The nipple t3 is connected by a pipe I* (see Fig. El) with the steam-supply pipe clt, so that live steam under the initial boiler-prcssure is admitted into the nozzle and discharged from the jet-tube into the stream of partially-heated water which is being forced through the nozzle by the steam vacuum-pump, and the live steam is thus admitted to the Water immediately before it leaves the nozzle. The water being already under motion and partially heated by reason of the action of the steam vacuum-pump is discharged from the nozzle in a highly-heated condition and with great force, and thus rapidly melts and disintegrates the frozen earth. The earth is then removed, as before described, and the water returns to the sump or pool to be used over again.

The steam-supply pipe I4, leading to the nozzle I, is provided with a controlling-valve t5, by means of which the operator can control the supply of steam,and thus regulate the temperature of the stream of water discharged to prevent the formation of a mist or fog within the mine. I also provide the steam-pump G with a hose or pipe H', leading to the surface of the ground, as shown, said pipe being provided with a valve h', and the pipe I-I, leading to the nozzle I, is also provided with asimilar valve 7L. By closing the valve h and opening valve h the surplus water in the sump or pool can be forced out of the mine at intervals when necessary.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The herein-described process of mining in frozen ground which consists in forming a pool of Water in the shaft or mine, conveying steam into the shaft or mine and bringing it in contact with the water from said pool to heat the water and force it into contact With the frozen soil, to disintegrate it, conducting the water back to said pool and removing the disintegrated soil, whereby a circulation of the water is established within the shaft or mine and the continuous raising of the water to the surface of the ground is obviated, sub stantially as described.

2. The herein-described process of mining in frozen ground which consists in forming a IOO sump or depression in the shaft or mine to forcing said heated water into contact with the frozen soil, to disintegrate the soil, conveying the water back into the sump or depression, and removing the disintegrated soil from the shaft or mine, whereby a circulation of the water is established within the shaft or mine, and the continuous raising of the water to the surface of the ground is obviated, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described process of mining in frozen ground which consists in forminga snmp or depression in the shaft or mine to contain a pool of water, conveying steam to the bottom of the shaft or mine, drawing the water from the pool and forcing it into con* tact with the frozen soil to disintegrate it, adthe ground is obviated, substantially as demitting steam vinto the Waterimrnediately bescribed. Io fore it is discharged against the frozen soil, In testimony whereof I affix my signature conducting the Water back to the sump or dein the presence of two witnesses.

pression, and removing the disintegrated soil, LOUIS E. MILLER. whereby a Circulation of the Wat-er is estah- Witnesses: lished within the! shaft or mine and the con- ROBT. W. TAYLOR,

tinuous raising of the Water to the surface of R. D. MCELROY. 

